This post was inspired by audience reactions to an image I posted on Instagram. The image showed a cluster of sawfly larvae sometimes known as ‘spitfires’.
Many people are afraid of insects because of their “creepy crawly” habits but few insects disgust entomophobes more than the sawfly larvae known as ‘spitfires’. This is due to their habit of rearing up en masse and vomiting thick yellow fluids (hence the name ‘spitfire’) when disturbed. This is a defence mechanism against animals which might try to eat them. What a predator (such as a bird or possum) sees is a revolting Medusa-like writhing vomiting mass. That’s enough to put any predator – or Instagram viewer – off their lunch!
